ABA Journal Blawg 100

In an embarrassing repeat of its mistake from last year, and also the year before that, the ABA Journal has again picked Lowering the Bar as one of its top 100 legal blogs. I still suspect this is largely due to the rampant paint-huffing that goes on over there pretty much 24/7, at least according to TMZ, but on the off-chance the editors were lucid at the time they did this I would like to say thank you very much.

I would also like to thank Susan DiMaria and the other readers who nominated this blog for the list. Here's the very kind blurb Susan contributed, which the ABA used in its article (that's how I know her name—any others are safely anonymous):

Lowering the Bar

"It is the wittiest, most incisive, well-written and flat-out hilarious blawg around," wrote Susan E. DiMaria of O’Malley, Surman & Michelini in New Jersey. "Where else are you going to read about a DUI on a Zamboni? Wyoming’s pending bill to buy an aircraft carrier? Yeah, I thought so. Check out the Case Law Hall of Fame and the Pleading Archive. Where else am I going to find an order compelling counsel to hold a game of rock, paper, scissors to settle which side takes the first dep? Our profession tends to take itself a little too seriously; this is the antidote."

Yes, Susan actually exists and (to my knowledge) is in no way related to me. Thank you, Susan, and please let me know if you will accept a personal check.

If you have 30 seconds to spare and are so inclined, the ABA also is asking readers to vote (here) for their favorite blogs within each category. (Lowering the Bar is again listed under "Fun," for what are hopefully obvious reasons.) Will the outcome of this vote make much of a difference in the scheme of things? No. But did you vote on November 6? I think you see where I'm going with that. At least with this vote you don't have to leave the house.

As a special token of appreciation, each voter will receive one year of Lowering the Bar absolutely free.